Shocking video allegedly shows rats inside Dupont Circle pizza restaurant

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - The D.C. Health Department has launched an investigation into a Northwest Washington pizza restaurant after a disturbing video allegedly shows rats running around inside the kitchen. 

A woman named Aimee-Nicole Allen posted the video on FOX 5's Facebook page Wednesday night saying a former manager of Dupont Pizza, which is located on P Street NW, sent it to her.

A check of health department records shows Dupont Pizza was last inspected less than a year ago. Only minor violations were found and corrected during that inspection, but nothing mentioned rats.    

On Thursday, the health department said an inspector would be sent out to the restaurant right away after they received the same video.

FOX 5's crews went by Dupont Pizza and saw a health department worker there Thursday afternoon.

The health department says the worker observed there was no hot water in the restaurant and he observed multiple violations of the DC Food Code.

They released the following statement saying, in part, that they temporarily shut down the restaurant: 

"DC Health issued a summary suspension order (closed the establishment) for operating a food establishment without hot water and for operating a food establishment with circumstances that may endanger public health. At the time of inspection, we did not observe any live or dead rodents or evidence of rodents, such as rodent droppings. The inspection report is currently under review and will be posted on our website once that review has been completed."

Dupont Pizza's owner tells FOX 5 the video is from several years ago. They will reopen Friday.